Susan M. Dimond heads up the firm’s federal motion practice. In this role, Susan is the firm’s specialist for removal to federal court, federal civil procedure and class actions. Susan also serves on the firm's legal malpractice defense, insurance coverage and extra-contractual liability teams. She has considerable experience defending attorneys in cases alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and breaches of fiduciary duties related to collection activities. Susan also handles complex insurance coverage questions.
During her third year of law school, Susan clerked for the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In the summer of 2003, she was an Environmental Fellow at the Resources Law Group in Sacramento, California. Susan's previous law experience also includes internships at the Illinois Attorney General's Office and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Susan graduated from Vermont Law School in 2004 where she was a member and Production Coordinator of the Vermont Law Review. Susan was also a member of the Vermont Legal Research Group and the Environmental Law Clinic and a Student Editor/Writer for the American Trial Lawyers Association's Daubert Litigation Group Newsletter. During this experience, she analyzed federal and state treatment of the admissibility of expert and scientific testimony under Frye and Daubert.
Practice Areas:
- Motion and Appellate Practice
- Insurance and Extra Contractual Liability Defense
- Legal Malpractice Defense
- Insurance Defense
Education:
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Political Science, B.A., with a Minor in Women's Studies, 1998
- Vermont Law School, J.D., 2004
Bar Admissions:
- Missouri, 2005
- Illinois, 2007
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
- U.S. District Court
- Eastern District and Western Missouri
- Southern District Illinois
Memberships:
- Claims and Litigation Alliance
- Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Publications:
- Co-Author, NBI Ethics Seminar Materials, Ethical Client Communications (2011).
- Author, MO Bar CLE Publication, Missouri Damages, Chapter 14, Lost Profits (Third Edition, 2012).
- Co-Author, A Survey of The Law of Non-Contractual Indemnity and Contribution, Missouri, Primerus (April 2012)
- Contributor , August 2014 ABA LPL eAdvisory, Case Summary, Nail v. Husch Blackwell Sanders, LLP
- Co-Author, The Risks and Realities of Cyber-Attacks and Security Breaches for Today’s Practitioner, The St. Louis Bar Journal Fall/2014.
Events and Speaking Engagements:
- Speaker, Missouri Bar Next Step Series: Federal Civil Practice (April 2013)
- Speaker, “How the FDCPA can surprise you”, The Bar Plan Foundation, 15-Hour Year-End CLE Webinar, (June 2017)
- Speaker, “Avoiding Violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Breaches of Fiduciary Duties Related to Collection Activities”, The Missouri Bar Annual Meeting, with Christina Lewis Abate, The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company (September 2017)
- Speaker, “How the FDCPA Affects Your Practice and How Not to Violate It” Webinar, ABA Young Lawyer’s Division, with Whitney Dunn, The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company, (December 2017)
Pro Bono and Public Service:
- BAMSL’s Motion for Kids, annual Christmas party that is provided for over 2500 children in foster care programs across the City of St. Louis